AntiChovie/Anchovy

This site is often mistakenly called Anchovy or Anchovies, but the site was actually named Antichovie.

Marine-life data is not available for this page.

Overview

Located north of Yillet Island, in the Misool region of Raja Ampat. Antichovie is a stella dive site. This site is often mistakenly called Anchovy or Anchovies, but the site was actually named Antichovie, so as not to jinx it for the massive amounts of anchovies that are normally present. 

This dive site is also sometimes called Puri Pinnacle. Not wanting to jinx this site we can understand, at times we have had dives on this site where divers with over a thousand dives surface saying it was the best dive of their life. 

The Visibility

The Marine Life

When this site is on, hundreds of thousands of silversides descend on the area in bait balls so thick like a huge cloud that you cannot see through, in fact you can’t even see the reef or the other divers around you. 

This brings in massive schools of hunting mobula rays and all sorts of other fish. Currents here can be strong so we recommend intermediate to experienced divers tackle this site.

So what other marine life is there on this site? Well, it’s a hard toss up weather to bring a wide-angle lens or a macro lens. 

For the bigger stuff this site has Mantas, mobula rays, giant trevally, golden trevally, tuna, jacks, barracuda, fusiliers, surgeonfish, batfish, clown fish, moray eels and lionfish. 

For the smaller stuff you can also find nudibranchs, flatworms, dottybacks, blennies, anemonefish and pygmy seahorse. As with anything in nature though, the hallmark bait balls of silversides are seasonal – October and November is when we have tended to see them the most.

The Diving

We drop in on top of the biggest bommie on the eastern end of the reef top. From here we make our way down the reef slope to a small area between the pinnacles sheltered from the current, keeping the reef on our right-hand side. 

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Dive site Location

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28 dive sites found
Arborek Jetty

Arborek Jetty

Arborek Jetty's location is perfect for those wishing to explore both the macro wonders of the area and the occasional larger pelagic visitors.

Jetty Dive
Blue Magic

Blue Magic

Blue Magic, One of the most famous and top rated dive sites in Raja Ampat, is located between the islands of Kri and Waigeo in the eastern Dampier Strait.

Pelagic Biodiversity
Cape Kri

Cape Kri

Cape Kri is well-suited for intermediate to advanced divers due to its currents, which can be challenging at times.

Marine Diversity
Chicken Reef

Chicken Reef

The reef's name comes from a story when the site was first being explored by Raja Ampat dive pioneer, Max Amer.

Marine Diversity
Citrus Ridge

Citrus Ridge

Citrus Ridge is located in the southern part of the Raja Ampat archipelago, off the coast of Gam Island.

Drift Dive
Friwen

Friwen

Friwen gets it's name from the two islands where it is located, Pulau Friwin and Pulau Friwinbonda.

Macro Diversity
Manta Ridge

Manta Ridge

Manta Ridge is one of Raja Ampat's most sought-after dive sites, famed for its incredible manta ray encounters.

Manta Rays
Manta Sandy

Manta Sandy

Located in the heart of Raja Ampat, Manta Sandy is a renowned dive site famous for its incredible manta ray encounters.

Manta Rays
Melissa's Garden

Melissa's Garden

The site can be found by looking for 3 very small islands sticking out from the ocean by Palau Keruwo, in the southeast of the Penemu chain, just west of the Dampier Strait.

Coral Garden
Mioskon

Mioskon

Another of the "don't miss" dive sites in Raja Ampat is Mioskon. The dive site gets it's name from the island Mioskon, located at the east end of the Dampier Strait in central Raja Ampat.

Lazy Dive
My Reef

My Reef

This site is known for its resident population of endemic Raja Ampat Tasselled Wobbegong Sharks that hide under the ledges and in crevasses in the coral and rocks.

Wobbegong Sharks Black Tips White Tips
Batu Lima

Batu Lima

Batu Lima, tucked away on the eastern side of Gam island in the northeastern parts of the Dampier Strait, is a diver's paradise noted for its enchanted night dives.

Macro Diversity
Eagle Rock

Eagle Rock

Eagle Rock, located off the southern coast of Kawe Island in Raja Ampat, offers divers an exhilarating dive experience among some of the richest marine biodiversity in the world.

Manta Rays Cleaning Station
Saonek Kecil

Saonek Kecil

This dive site is conveniently located just 5 minutes from Waisai, the capitol of Raja Ampat and the starting destination for all liveaboards. It's a small island, just 2 kilometres to the south of the main town.

Macro Diversity Pelagic Species
Tank Rock

Tank Rock

Tank Rock is a captivating dive site in Misool, Raja Ampat, eastern most of the small island chains extending from Fiabacet Island.

Dramatic Underwater Landscape
Andiamo

Andiamo

The site gets it's name from the liveaboard that Burt Jones went with during the early Raja Ampat exploration days.

Safety Stop
Boo West

Boo West

Boo West dive site does not get the recognition and fame of it's eastern cousin site and Boo Windows, but we think this is unfair as this is an amazing dive site.

Underwater Canyon
Boo Windows

Boo Windows

Boo Windows, a magnificent dive site in the middle of Raja Ampat, is famous for its remarkable underwater topography and incredible marine biodiversity.

Window Arch
Fiabacet

Fiabacet

Fiabacet epitomizes the Raja Ampat dive experience and is one of the premier dive sites in the Misool region.

Macro Diversity Pelagic Species
Four Kings

Four Kings

Four Kings is one of the most celebrated dive sites in Raja Ampat, offering a stunning underwater landscape that attracts divers from around the globe.

Panorama of Colors
Kaleidoscope

Kaleidoscope

Kaleidoscope Dive Site is nestled at the western tip of Pele Island in the southeast Misool region of Raja Ampat.

Macro Diversity Pelagic Species
Magic Mountain

Magic Mountain

Magic Mountain is one of those dive sites that goes by many names, also called Shadow Reef or Karang Bayangan.

Underwater Seamount
Neptunes Fan Sea

Neptunes Fan Sea

Neptunes Sea Fan dive site (Sometimes also called Neptunes Fantasea dive site) located in the narrow passage between Walib and Wayilbatan Islands, in the Missol region of Raja Ampat.

Marine Diversity
Nudi Rock

Nudi Rock

Nudi Rock got its name from the rock feature above the water that looks like a Nudibranch. This one-of-a-kind feature adds a fun touch to a dive that is already very beautiful.

Macro Diversity Pelagic Species
Anchovy

Anchovy

This site is often mistakenly called Anchovy or Anchovies, but the site was actually named Antichovie.

Massive Anchovies
Keruo Channel

Keruo Channel

Keruo Channel dive site (also sometimes called Fam Wall) is located on the east side of Keruo Island, Raja Ampat.

Drift Dive
Piaynemo Jetty

Piaynemo Jetty

Piaynemo Jetty is located on the eastern side of Penemu island, just before the entrance to the lagoon for trekking.

Night Dive Critters
Batu Rufus

Batu Rufus

Batu Rufus means Rufus Rock, the name coming from the large limestone formation that extends out to the fringing coral reef that forms the dive site.

Great Walls

AntiChovie/Anchovy: Topography

This site consists of a submerged seamount with a top reef covered in bommies between 5 and 7 meters depth, and then a series of 5 pinnacles extending out in all directions surrounding the seamount. 

The depths of the pinnacle tops range anywhere from 15 to 20 meters depth. Typically, we will want to dive this site on a falling tide, when the currents are running from east to west. 

Max depth:

30 meters plus.

Typical Current:

Strong

Topography:

Submerged Seamount with Branching Pinnacles.

Itineraries that visit AntiChovie/Anchovy